¡Viva México!

5.05.2018

San Miguel De Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico

The beauty of Mexico is continuously lost to those who associate it only with words such as, dangerous, bad, and scary. It became almost a mission for me to demonstrate how diverse and exciting Mexico is.

Luckily, I live in Texas and flights to almost anywhere in Mexico are crazy affordable. I have vacationed in both Cancun and Tulum and was ready to discover the bustling city life in Mexico.

How cute is this boutique?!

San Miguel de Allende

This little town is known as the ‘Heart of Mexico,’ which is why so many weddings take place there (why I was there). I fell in love with its winding roads and enchanting architecture. Everything about this place was straight out of a fairytale.

I didn’t get to spend too much time here but I will be back. It’s an amazing location for a girl’s trip or a quick weekend getaway.It is the perfect place to truly disconnect and transport to a charming storybook town. There are so many cute boutiques, organic markets, artesian and food festivals, and tons of souvenir shops. The nightlife was surprisingly really great! Small towns don’t really have much of a party scene but it seems as if San Miguel de Allende is the weekend spot for Mexicans.

Travel to San Miguel de Allende if you are looking to have a relaxing but lively vacation. It is not a big city like Barcelona or even Houston but you still have “city life activities” such as strolling through luxurious shops, fine dining, and access to modern amenities.If you are looking for a lot of action and adventure this might not be the place.

Specific Travel Details

Flew into Queretaro and took a prearranged shuttle into San Miguel de Allende.I stayed at The Hotel Real de Minas and it was in the perfect location, walking distance to El Centro.

Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Mexico City

I’ve always heard of Mexico City as the place to go for great food and we were not disappointed!

Since I was already going to be in Mexico, a friend decided to meet me up for a quick getaway. Best decision I have made in while. I’ll share my favorites from the trip since I only have few. If I could do the trip over I’d stay so much longer! Four days is not enough time to discover Mexico City.

Places To Eat/Drink

Bella RafaellaLondres 10-B Col. Del Carmen
Honestly just went in here just because it looked super cute, I have a thing for open-air dining. I tried the green chilaquiles (for the first time ever) and they were AMAZING. We walked here after the Frida Kahlo museum so you don’t even have to go out of your way to find this treasure!

Terraza Grand Hotel Cuidad de Mexico16 de Septiembre 82, Centro Historico, Centro
The view from the terrace restaurant is spectacular. It overlooks the Zocalo square and at night the buildings glitter with shimmering lights, truly a vision. We definitely picked this restaurant for the view but the food was excellent!

The view from our table at La Case de Sirenas.

La Casa de SirenasRepública de Guatemala 32, Centro Histórico
Another rooftop/terrace restaurant because where else can I get views like this? The food here was AMAZING. It was a food adventure with all kinds of flavors and textures blending seamlessly. Hands down my favorite restaurant. It was a little hidden but everything about it brought back memories from Spain. It was so beautiful, from the stained glass to the creaky wood floors. Sigh.

La Pitahaya Vegana tacos.

La Pitahaya Vegana Calle Querétaro 90, Roma Nte.
Not going to lie, this was the one thing I was most excited about. I will travel the world high and low to find the perfect vegan taco. This place was amazing! Please do yourself a favor and go! They were everything I had hoped they would be and more. Next-door was a sweet little ice cream shop with SWINGS! They happened to be shooting a segment for the news when we went in there so they asked us to be extras! Vegan tacos, ice cream, and fame, what else could a girl want?

Our boat was "Margarita," how fitting!

Sights To See

Palacio de Bellas Artes/The Museum of Fine Arts Av. Juárez, Centro Histórico
This is a definite must do. I ended up going on a Sunday morning and the entrance was free. It was walking distance from the hotel and what a beautiful walk it was. Even if you don’t go inside you should at least see the building. It is as its name suggests a Palacio. The area surrounding the museum is called the Alameda Central Park so even just a stroll through here is memorable.

Xochimilco No address, good luck!
Okay, this is an experience. Honestly, we had no idea what to expect. We procrastinated planning this so we definitely winged it. So it’s a good sign for all of those who like to go with the flow. We literally took an uber and asked for the boats! So you basically rent the boat and someone paddles it along and then other boats are selling food, flower crowns, beer, and even mariachis! There are tons of boats with a whole group of mariachis and they’ll hop on to your boat and sing, for a fee of course. It’s the equivalent of a college boat party without the bathing suits. Also, if you buy a beer it will be bigger than your head. You’ve been warned/advised.

Inside the Frida Kahlo Museum.

Frida Kahlo Museum Londres 247, Del Carmen
Do I even need to explain this? It’s so beautiful and such a great exhibit. It is a great peek into the life of a timeless icon. Buy your tickets online so you don’t have to wait in line.

Teotihuacan No address, again good luck!
We were just a tiny bit more prepared for this excursion. Well, we bought the tour tickets on Expedia the night before(6 hours before the tour to be exact). I highly recommend booking a tour (our tour was by Amigo Tours) because it’s so much easier and lots of fun. The pyramids were about an hour outside the city so I wouldn’t recommend winging this! Our guide was absolutely hilarious and knew his FACTS! We chose an early tour and it was perfect because we left just as it was getting hot and still had the rest of the day in Mexico City! I loved climbing the pyramids and soaking in the history of Mesoamerica but I REALLY loved the tequila tasting after.

Colorful walls are a personal fave for photo opps!

Strolling the Separate Neighborhoods Condesa, Roma, Zocalo, Polanco
It sincerely felt like every neighborhood was super chic and picture perfect. From rows of brightly painted doors to elegant architecture, the above mentioned four neighborhoods were my favorite. They are all great for strolling, eats, and shopping.

ShoppingFrom a shopaholic to another, bring an empty suitcase!
I love to shop in Mexico because all of my favorite European stores that don’t exist in the states are here! Does the different currency actually save you money? Maybe a few dollars but you are paying what it would cost anywhere else. The Centro Historico is a great area to visit for shopping but it's almost overwhelmingly packed. Try to visit a bit earlier if you don’t like crowds.

Specific Travel Details
Flew from Queretaro to Mexico City International Airport then took an Uber to our hotel in Centro Historico, Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico. We took an Uber for all transportation needs or walked since our hotel was close to many restaurants.

This little corner of the worth is definitely worth a visit. From the kindness of Mexicans to the abundance of history, Mexico City is definitely under my ‘faves’ list. You know how when you walk into a new store and you can almost immediately tell whether or not the clothes will suit your style? Well, I’m like that with the places I visit. I can almost instantly tell when it feels like home. Under my “Where I want an Apartment” list, Mexico City now proudly holds a place. Although I love most places, this is list is very exclusive. I recommend this destination wholeheartedly.